I’m writing my last paper for this semester on feminist activism and the Internet. Until last week I was so optimistic about this issue that I decided to write my thesis on Iranian’s women’s movement and their activism on the web. But since last week something has happened that have made me totally disillusioned about Iran’s women’s movement and their activism on the Internet. Now it’s so difficult to write my paper and I only have two more days to finish it.

Instead of my previous approach and what I wrote in my proposal for this paper, I’m now criticizing and questioning the idea of feminist activism on the net. You can find a lot in “third wave” feminism’s literature on cyberfeminism. This literature is very optimistic, encouraging feminists to overcome their fears of technology and enter the world of cyberspace, where gendered boundaries and patriarchal ideologies are less visible and less influential. “Third wave” feminism considers many activities by women, such as women entering the information technology fields or corporations as feminist activism. They assume that women who enter these domains change the gendered environments from within. But I don’t think so! I think the internalized power structures extend into cyberspace and feminism. It’s not even a matter of patriarchy. It’s all about power and vanity! A democratic cyberspace is yet another myth, because democracy is a myth! Cyberspace is yet another space where power relations shape and enhance. It doesn’t make a difference whether you are a man or a women, whether you are a patriarch or a feminist, whether you are online or offline! When your goal is to reach power, when your agenda is to become famous, and when you are selfish, when you hide your intentions behind beautiful claims about human rights, women’s rights, and democracy, it doesn’t matter where you are or what group you are associating with!

Now I think there is nothing special about feminist activism on the net! I think about writing papers on feminist activism itself, questioning the concept of feminist activism, questioning feminism itself!

Sorry if I don’t make that much sense. I’m so upset and disillusioned, and here’s the only place where I can shout and won’t be the only person to hear the echo of my voice.